Efficiency and Productivity of Farmers in Nigeria: A Study of Rice Farmers in North Central Nigeria

This study contributes to the agricultural productivity literature in developing countries and Nigeria especially by quantifying the level of efficiency for sample of rice farmers from North Central Zone of Nigeria. A stochastic efficiency decomposition frontier analysis was used to derive technical efficiency measures separately for rice under two production systems (upland and lowland systems). Average economic efficiency of 51.9 % and 55.4 % found for up land and lowland rice farmers respectively suggests that there is room for productivity gain for farms in the sample through better use of available resources given the state of technology. Gains in productivity growth have become increasingly important to Nigerians as demand for rice continue to increase due to population increase. Although, all the socio-economic variables tested against efficiency were significant at one level or the other there was no clear strategy of improving the relationship between them. One possible explanation for this finding is the existence of stage of developing threshold below which there is no consistent relationship between socioeconomic variables and productivity. The results suggest that rice farmers can still improve to reach such threshold in Nigeria. Hence, adoption of improved rice varieties, improvements in educational levels would be needed to go beyond this threshold before additional investments in human capital and other related factors.Crop Production/Industries, Productivity Analysis, D2,

Estimation of Actual and Potential Adoption Rates and Determinants of Improved Rice Variety Among Rice Farmers in Nigeria: The Case of NERICAs

The article used the ATE estimation framework to derive consistent semi-parametric estimators of population adoption rates and their determinants of the NERICA (New Rice for Africa) rice varieties in Nigeria. Empirical evidence shows that the observed sample adoption rate does not consistently estimate the population adoption rate even if the sample is random. NERICA awareness was found to be a major constraint to NERICA adoption in Nigeria. Several socioeconomic/demographic characteristics were found to be important determinants of NERICA awareness and adoption. Among those factors are age, gender, major occupation, year of experience and vocational training. In particular, we have found that the NERICA adoption rate in Nigeria would have been up to 76% in 2008 instead of the actually observed 20% joint exposure and adoption rate, if the whole population were exposed to the NERICAs in 2008 or before. This justifies investing in the dissemination of the NERICA varieties; considering that the 76% is bound to increase significantly in the future as farmers learn more about the characteristics of the NERICAs and become comfortable with their performances.NERICAs Adoption, awareness, Average Treatment Effect, Nigeria, Crop Production/Industries,

Effect of Rice Trade Policy on Household Welfare in Nigeria

Inconsistence in the use of trade policy reform has characterized Nigeria’s rice imports over the years and little is known about the welfare implications of these reforms on the Nigerian households. This study uses a static computable general equilibrium model to assess the effect of rice trade policies of an import ban, 80% tariff increase, 5% tariff reduction and 0% rice import tariff on the welfare of households in the country. Simulation results show that no rice trade policy improved social welfare, although producing households’ incomes increased under protectionist policies of ban and tariff increase. All households lost welfare with 0% tariff while only the major producing and consuming households lost welfare with the 5% reduction in tariffs. The least loss to social welfare also occurred in this scenario, hence this policy was recommended for adoption in order to minimize welfare losses to households. Keywords: Rice; trade policy; tariff; households; welfare; computable general equilibrium

Estimating nutrition-income elasticities in sub-Saharan African:Implication on health

The study estimates calories, proteins and fats-income elasticities in sub Saharan Africa (SSA). Annual time series data for 43 countries covering 1975-2009 that yields a balanced panel was employed for the analysis. The nutrient-income elasticities are estimated based on the aggregate Engel Curve framework using Feasible Generalized Least Square (FGLS) technique that is robust to autocorrelation and non-parametric plot. The empirical results show that a 10% increase in income will lead to about a 0.90%, 0.87%, and 0.73% rise in fats, proteins and calories supply, respectively in the region. This shows that the estimated nutrient-income elasticities are of small size. Other results show that the relationship between calorie and protein-income was found to be non-linear at higher income and diminished, as revealed by the estimated aggregate Engel Curve and non-parametric plot

Nigerian Debt Portfolio and Its Implication on Economic Growth

This study examines the relationship between economic growth and debt variables for the period 1981-2012 using Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) approach. Variables were stationary at their first differences at 1% level of significance and there is one co-integrating relationship among the variables at 0.05 level. Granger test reveals that causality flows from GDP to both External debt (EXD) and its servicing (SERV). On the other hand, domestic debt (DDB) granger causes GDP. Bi-causality relationship was also found between EXD and SERV. The error correction value of 55.1% which is significant at 1% means that the speed of adjustment of the short-run to the long-run is slightly above average. Instrumental variable (IV) analysis (GMM) confirms non-linear (inverted-U) relationships between economic growth and the domestic/external debts. Debt-to-GDP ratios of 21.4% (domestic debt) and 26.9% (external debt) reveal that Nigeria can benefit from borrowed funds provided it stays below these limits and the repayment conditions are favorable. Hence, funds channeled towards developmental efforts will have positive ripple effects on the economy. Keywords: Debt stock, debt service, economic growth, sustainability ratio, vector error correctio

Impact of Agricultural Value Added on Current Account Balances in Nigeria

The aim of this research paper is to explore the relationship between agriculture value added and current account balances in Nigeria. The study therefore examines the agricultural value added on current account balances over 33 years in Nigeria using data from different sources, from 1980 to 2013. The study found that the variables of interest were stationary at first difference. The Engel Granger two step test of co - integration found that the variables have a long run relationship, while the Johansen test found at least one co-integration relationship among the variables. Agriculture value added has a negative relationship with current account balances in the country in both the long run and the short run. Terms of trade and per capita gross domestic product also have negative with the current account position, while net foreign asset, real effective exchange rate and the gross domestic output have positive effects on the current account position. The short run adjustment parameters however showed that agricultural value added as a percentage of the GDP as well as the net foreign assets are the only variables capable of adjusting to their long run equilibrium within the economy. Keywords: Current account, Agriculture, Value added, Time series, Nigeri

Estimating nutrition-income elasticities in sub-Saharan African:Implication on health

The study estimates calories, proteins and fats-income elasticities in sub Saharan Africa (SSA). Annual time series data for 43 countries covering 1975-2009 that yields a balanced panel was employed for the analysis. The nutrient-income elasticities are estimated based on the aggregate Engel Curve framework using Feasible Generalized Least Square (FGLS) technique that is robust to autocorrelation and non-parametric plot. The empirical results show that a 10% increase in income will lead to about a 0.90%, 0.87%, and 0.73% rise in fats, proteins and calories supply, respectively in the region. This shows that the estimated nutrient-income elasticities are of small size. Other results show that the relationship between calorie and protein-income was found to be non-linear at higher income and diminished, as revealed by the estimated aggregate Engel Curve and non-parametric plot

Trade Openness and Inflation in Nigerian Economy: A Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) Approach

Trade between countries of the world is a vital economic index to be considered. Opening up the economy of a country will not only improve the trade of such a country, but will also affect its inflation rate, which is an important factor for policy decision makers. This study therefore used the VECM approach to investigate the effect of trade openness on the inflation of the Nigerian economy using annual data from 1970 to 2010. A multivariate cointegration test developed by Johansen was used to determine the existence of a long-run relationship among the variables. The results indicate two cointegrating equations at 5% level of significance and one cointegrating equation at 1% level. With the existence of at least one cointegrating vector, the VEC model was applied, which indicates a negative relationship between inflation and trade openness (-1.58) for the Nigerian economy, while the coefficient of the Error Correction Term (-0.91) of the model was significant and negative, which imply that the system corrects its previous period disequilibrium at a speed of approximately 91 percent annually. The results of the Impulse-Response Function (IRF) indicate that the response of inflation to openness shock was significant and positive for only two periods, but negative after the second period and all through the rest of the periods, thereby validating the negative relationship between inflation and trade openness in Nigerian economy. Keywords: Trade openness, inflation, VECM, Error Correction Term, Impulse-response function, Nigerian

GAMBARAN ASUPAN NUTRISI AKIBAT KEHILANGAN GIGI SEBAGIAN PADA PASIEN DI BAGIAN GIGI DAN MULUT RSUDZA BANDA ACEH JUNI-JULI 2010

Kehilangan gigi sebagian maupun seluruhnya memiliki dampak, yaitu dampak emosional, sistemik, dan fungsional. Terganggunya proses pengunyahan akibat kehilangan gigi dapat mempengaruhi pemilihan makanan sehingga terjadi perubahan pada asupan nutrisi. Perubahan pada gambaran asupan nutrisi memiliki dampak bagi tubuh, seperti terjadinya penyakit kronis, penurunan kemampuan fungsional, dan peningkatan kejadian infeksi sehingga dapat mempengaruhi kualitas hidup pasien. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui gambaran asupan nutrisi akibat kehilangan gigi sebagian berdasarkan jumlah gigi yang hilang pada pasien di Bagian Gigi dan Mulut di Rumah Sakit Umum Daerah Zainal Abidin (RSUDZA) Banda Aceh yang berkunjung pada Bulan Juni-Juli 2010. Penelitian ini adalah penelitian Non Eksperimental dan bersifat Deskriptif Analitik melalui wawancara secara langsung menggunakan kuesioner dengan skala Likert. Tehnik sampling yang digunakan adalah tehnik penarikan sampel Non Propability secara Purposive, dengan jumlah sampel 120 orang yang terdiri dari 53 orang laki-laki (44,17%) dan 67 orang perempuan (55,83%). Sampel yang digunakan adalah pasien dengan kriteria berusia lebih dari 20 tahun, yang kehilangan gigi sebagian dan belum pernah menggunakan gigi tiruan. Pengolahan data dilakukan secara statistik dengan Program SPSS menggunakan uji Chi-Square dan Kruskal-Wallis. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan gambaran asupan nutrisi akibat kehilangan gigi sebagian pada pasien dirasakan berubah lebih dari setengah jumlah pasien dengan persentase tertinggi pada perasaan kesulitan memakan makanan yang mengandung protein dan lemak, sedangkan persentase terendah pada perasaan kesulitan memakan makanan yang mengandung vitamin C. Gambaran asupan nutrisi akibat kehilangan gigi sebagian pada pasien berdasarkan jumlah gigi yang hilang secara keseluruhan dirasakan berubah paling tinggi tingkat kesulitannya pada kelompok jumlah gigi yang hilang 22-28 gigi (76,2%) dan terendah yang merasa kesulitan pada kelompok jumlah gigi yang hilang 1-7 gigi (46,8%). Kata kunci:asupan nutrisi, pasien, kehilangan gigi sebagian, tingkat kesulitan.Banda Ace